Not Alone
by Fireflies-glow1
Summary: Lauren runs out of the room during rehearsal. When Brian follows her out, he discovers what has made her so upset. But will he be able to keep his true feelings a secret for much longer? *DISCLAIMER* I do not own the starkids. This is a fictional story. None of this actually happened. A Bropez fanfiction.


**This is a Bropez One-shot. I've left it a bit open ended, because I'm not sure whether or not I should write another chapter for it. So let me know what you think, and if I should leave it as a one shot or continue it! Thanks guys xxx**

* * *

_Baby you're not alone  
'Cause you're here with me  
and nothing's ever gonna bring us down  
'cause nothing can keep me from loving you,  
and you know it's true,  
It don't matter what will come to be  
Our love -_

"I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore..." Lauren switched off her microphone and bent down, quickly placing it at her feet, before running off the stage and out the door, leaving her friends staring after her.

"Is she alright?" Julia asked from beside Matt Lang, sitting a few rows back from the stage.

"She seemed fine before rehearsal" Dylan said from his place on stage.

They were all concerned. It just wasn't like Lauren to run off during a rehearsal.

"Someone should see if she's okay..." Meredith added after a brief moment of silence.

"I'll do it." The group looked back at the two people who had just spoken. Joe Walker and Nick Lang looked at each other awkwardly before attempting to brush it off.

"Or you can... sure, whatever..." Joe said

"No it's okay you go" Nick replied.

Brian rolled his eyes. It was obvious to everyone on the planet that they both liked Lauren, except to the girl herself who was usually oblivious to this sort of thing. The problem was, they weren't the only ones who had a thing for Lauren. Brian himself had developed feelings for her over the last few years. He, however, had kept them well hidden from his friends. So as far as he knew, no one had any idea about how he truly felt about her. The even bigger problem was, she was seeing someone else, and had been for almost a year now.

"You know what? Brian you should go." Jaime said still looking worried about Lauren.

"What? Why me?"

"You're not in the next scene" Jaime replied "and you guys are really close"

Brian groaned.

"What? You don't care if she's okay?" Meredith asked him.

"Of course I care if Lo is alright...I just wouldn't know what to say…." He replied. The group stared at him expectantly and he sighed heavily. "Fine I'll go!"

Of course, he would have run after her immediately once she'd left, but that would've raised suspicion amongst his friends. He had been very careful not to do anything that would give them an idea of what he truly felt for her. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, just that he'd seen the crap they gave Nick and Joe. Not only that, as close as he was with Nick and Joe, it was better if they didn't know. They were, in the long-run, his competition. That is, them and that jerk she was dating, Dan, or Dean...something like that. He always forgot the asshole's name. It was something Lauren constantly corrected him on. When he reached the door of the auditorium, he glanced back at the group who were all still watching him.

"You guys should keep practicing or something... I don't know how long we'll be, and I'm sure she won't want a shit load of questions thrown at her if she comes back, okay?"

The group nodded and started the song again as Brian pushed open the door and stepped bright light of the mid-day sun stung his eyes. He brought his hand up to shade them and spotted her sitting on the stairs out the front of the building, her head buried in her arms. Brian approached her cautiously and quietly sat down beside her, putting his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Lo? Hey, are you okay?"

Lauren lifted her head and looked up at him. Her eyes were red and lost, and her face was streaked with tears.

Brian sighed and moved closer to her, allowing her to cry into his chest. He patted her back softly, hugging her tightly. "Did you want to talk about it?" He asked her gently after a few moments.

She didn't respond at first, but then looked up at him again breathing deeply.

"It's... just that song..." She said in almost a whisper. Her eyes were still filled with tears.

"Not Alone?" He asked her. "What about it?" They'd sung that song so many times before. Why did it have this effect on her now?

Lauren sighed heavily and looked up at the sky, to try and stop herself from crying. "It's about not being alone right? Because Ginny loves Harry so much that she's willing to fight for him and alongside him. Stand by him no matter what the consequences. Their love is strong enough to keep that bond forever, despite what they're about to go through. They're not alone. Neither of them are; because they have each other. Something to fight for and that's enough for them...It's all that matters... It's funny I suppose, singing about a love that strong, when you yourself are alone and don't have a dedication that strong and that meaningful to share with someone. Its funny how love can be so beautiful in stories and movies, and just so different in real life..." She said. Brian hadn't interrupted. He just watched as her face grew sadder and lonelier. She had ceased crying now and was looking at the stairs right in front of her; which in some ways made her seem even more lost inside.

"Lo..." he began but before he could even ask the question, she answered.

"I caught him with someone else..." she said still staring ahead. "Last Friday Night. They've apparently been seeing each other on and off for the past year." She added.

"Last Friday? Why didn't you say anything?" He asked her gently.

She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know…. I guess I didn't want to believe it for myself… if I spoke about it, it would make everything seem more real." Brian watched as another tear fell from her eye and landed on her cheek, continuing its descent down her small tanned face.

He didn't know what to say to her. Seeing her in so much pain made him hurt as well. It killed him seeing her like that; and then he realized there was a reason she was in this pain and suddenly felt a raging, burning anger towards the man who had made this happen, and put her through this. _I'm gonna kill that asshole... If I see that bastard, God help him..._

"It's funny how you can think you know someone, and be so totally wrong about them." She continued, snapping his thoughts back into reality. Her voice was shaky as she started to cry again."...and how you can think...think you love someone...and... and think they love you too, only to find that everything that you believed, everything you thought you knew... It was all a lie. Apparently, that "movie love" doesn't exist in real life... at least, not for me." Lauren had broken down into uncontrollable sobbing now. Brian pulled her in closer, and she cried into his chest again as he gently rocked her, rubbing her back.

"I mean..." she continued after another minute of silently sobbing into Brian's shirt "Why does it always happen? I date a guy and they're amazing and wonderful and then they do stuff like this. Why?" She looked up at him still sobbing. "Am I boring? Maybe I'm just not meant to have that fairytale romance. Maybe I never will..."

Brian had heard enough. How could she say these things? _Look what that dick has done to her! She thinks it's her fault!_

"Lauren, no don't you EVER think that!" He said sternly. She didn't say anything but kept eye contact. "Lauren god! Don't ever think that you're to blame. It's that bastard who's to blame. And if I didn't want to punch his god forsaken face in right now, I'd actually feel sorry for him. You know why? He has no idea what he's just lost. You're the most loyal, talented, funniest person I know. You and Boring don't belong in the same sentence Lo."

"If I'm so great, why would he do that to me?... A year...I was with him an entire year! And all that time he's been seeing her on the side! What's wrong with me?... Am I….I don't know... Is it the height? Is that even a thing? She was pretty tall…and pretty….. Am I not pretty enough?"

"Lauren you're beautiful." Brian was staring right into her eyes. He meant every word of what he was saying. "You're the most beautiful person I know, and you know, that's the perfect word to describe you. Beautiful, inside and out. You're so loving, so caring, so genuine... It kills me, it really kills me when you don't see that. When you don't see how amazing you are."

Lauren smiled slightly and looked down at her hands in her lap. Brian reached his hand over to her chin and lifted her head slowly so she was looking at him. "And don't you ever forget that..."

She was looking deep into his eyes. They were the first thing she'd noticed about him, when they met. They were so bright, almost glowing. Soft swirls of different shades of blue woven into one, shining your reflection back at you. Brian smiled warmly at her, his hand still on her chin, and wiped her cheek clean of tears. Lauren smiled back. His hands were surprisingly soft against her cheek.

"I can't believe you said all those things about _me_..." She said.

"You don't believe me? You don't think you're beautiful?"

She shrugged slightly and shook her head "Not really..."

Brian shook his head and sighed. "I don't see how you could've missed it."

Lauren giggled softly to herself and looked down at her hands again, blushing slightly.

"Dan has missed out on something amazing" He added.

"It's Dean" She corrected him, giggling out loud this time.

"Don't care" He replied smiling.

"...And I wouldn't go as far as _amazing_..." she said smiling up at him. Somehow, after everything she was going through, Brian had made her feel so much better. She had realized that she had a bit of a thing for Brian years ago, but when she started seeing Dean, she didn't feel that those feelings were strong enough to consider ending their relationship. That was, until she caught him with someone else. She loved Dean, and what he did really hurt her. Admittedly she had noticed there was something weird going on between her and dean for several months now. He had been acting pretty distant and secretive. It wasn't until she came back to their apartment after work that she realized the truth behind it all.

"You're right. Amazing? What was I thinking? That word barely describes half of what you are" Brian replied.

She smiled even wider, but lowered her head in an attempt to hide it.

Brian sighed again, shaking his head. "Lo. Never..." he said, reaching for her face again and lifting her head to look him in the eyes "...never try to hide that smile. It just...lights up a room. It's the thing I love most about you."

Lauren giggled blushing bright red, but pulled back suddenly as her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened slightly. "Wait...what did you say?"

Brian's eyes grew alarmingly wide as he realized what he'd said. _You had to use that word didn't you? You just HAD to say __**love**__._ "I uh...I just…. I said not to hide your smile and then I just stopped talking…"

Lauren smiled in amazement and looked down at the few stairs in front of her. "The thing you _love most_ about me...?"

Brian groaned to himself. _Ugh the fucking cat's out of the bag now you dickhead..._

"Look Lauren, I guess... ugh...I…shit…. okay, I might as well tell you…. that...well, that I-" He was cut short as Lauren moved in close and kissed him softly on the lips. It took him a moment to realize what was happening. Her lips were small and soft and perfect. More so than he'd ever imagined they could be. He returned her kiss and felt her smiling underneath his lips. She pulled away slightly and giggled at the shocked look still imprinted on his face.

"What did you want to tell me?" Lauren smiled up at him.

"That I think I love you".

Lauren smiled even wider, before leaning in and kissing him on the lips again, this time more assuredly. Brian returned it, putting his hands on her waist and gently pulling her closer to him. Lauren ran her fingers through his hair and opened her mouth slightly, allowing his tongue access, deepening their kiss. Lauren pulled back a second time and stared deep into his eyes. "Bri.." she whispered.

"Yeah Lo?"

"I... I think I love you too"

Brian grinned at her, but his smile faded as a sickening thought occurred to him. "Lo, you just got out of a year long relationship... You were in so much pain a few moments ago... are you sure that doesn't have anything to do with what's going on here?"

Lauren looked down at the ground. "I don't know...I mean I loved Dean, but... I've always kind of had a crush on you...I tried to ignore it but, my feelings have just been growing stronger. When you said all those things, you made me feel so special and… and loved. I'm… I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…I'm sorry…"

"God, don't apologize! I've wondered for a long time what kissing you would be like."

Lauren started to blush again. "Was it what you expected?"

He shook his head. "I expected it to be good, but that was… amazing"

Lauren blushed a bit heavier "Really?"

Brian nodded, putting a hand on her leg. "So what do you want to do now?"

Lauren shook her head. She didn't know what she wanted. She was sure that she loved Brian, but she wasn't sure she was completely over Dean. She could never forgive him for what he did, but was she ready to enter another serious relationship so quickly? After a few moments of silence, Brian spoke up.

"All I've wanted for a long time, Lo, is to be with you; to be able to hold your hand, and proudly say to the world that we were together….. But I know that you really did love Dan…."

"Dean" She corrected again, completely out of habit.

"I don't care… but seriously I could see it in your eyes; how they'd light up when you talked about him, and I know how much he's hurt you… you're in a really emotional place right now. I don't want to take advantage of you….. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to start a new relationship right away…."

Lauren nodded. She had no idea where to go from there. All she really wanted to do was kiss Brian again. She had never felt such electricity. So much bottled up passion; but in regards to starting a relationship, was it too soon? She put her head in her hands and ran them through her hair sighing deeply.

"Lo, you don't have to decide right now..." Brian said gently. "I don't want to pressure you into anything"

Lauren looked back at him and smiled. "You are so amazing Brian... I came out here feeling like crap, all I wanted to do was cry. I felt so bad about myself. I felt unwanted, not good enough; but somehow you've made all of that go away. You've made me feel so much better."

Brian grinned at her. "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that. I hate seeing you so upset..." He stood up and offered her his hand to help her up.

She took it smiling brightly at him and slowly rose to her feet. "Thanks for making me feel better Bri"

Brian smiled back at her, still holding her small hand in one of his, and gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear with his other. "You're not alone Lolo"

She stepped closer to him and snuggled close to his chest, hugging him tightly. He returned her hug and kissed her on the head. They stood there a while, comfortable in each other's arms.

"Are you going back inside?" He asked her softly without releasing her from their hug.

"I don't know" she sighed in reply. "It would be really awkward in there and I don't really want to answer all of their questions right now..."

"If you want you could head home and I could tell them... Just about you and Dan I mean. I won't mention us...but only if you want..." Brian suggested.

She smiled up at him, her arms still wrapped around him "Really? You'd do that for me?"

He nodded. "I'd do anything for you Lo."

She moved her head closer to his; rising onto her toes so she could reach and kissed his lips once more. After a few moments, Brian pulled back. "Wait didn't you come with Julia today?"

"Oh yeah...and all my stuff is still inside..."

"It's okay, I'll take you home" He offered.

"What about rehearsal?"

"The guys will understand. They're really worried about you. I'll go tell them and grab your stuff on my way out."

"Thanks," She smiled. "It's the grey scarf and the black-" She started but he interrupted her.

"I know."

She smiled at him and he turned and headed back inside. She sighed to herself and sat back down on the steps, suddenly aware of what a beautifully warm day it was.


End file.
